Signs of Deceit

Chapter 22 

A single drop of blood falls onto the ground. A cut upon the cheek glistening under the moonlight. The dagger that is poised in front of her falters a bit as the warm liquid falls. They exhale out in annoyance. Their thumb swipes the blood a bit as they glance at the fallen bodies around them. 

"Come out," they say. A frown adorned their face. 

The figure hidden beneath the shadows steps out into the light. Revealing Fiella. She stares at the dagger covered in blood for just a moment before addressing the figure holding the blade. 

She kneels down. Eyes downcast no longer looking at the slaughterer of the men displayed around her. She shudders when her gaze is cast upon her knowing that she would have to answer right, or she might not make it home to her mistress tonight. 

For before her was the mother of her liege. Her Majesty Vesper Desdemona. 

"Tell me Fiella when I... graciously took you in what did I tell you?" Vesper inquires her tone sounding bland, but the undercurrent of hostility is felt. 

"To ensure all blights to Isabella's virtue to be snuffed out," Fiella informs with a rough swallow. 

"And yet, that bitch's daughter Celeste seems to have been able to find such a blight in her new...guard!" 

Pressure overcomes Fiella then. It was like facing or being in the room with Ducane Norcross when someone insults the imperial family. A choking aura that was bound to destroy her if she let it. 

"Apologies, Majesty. But, her highness Princess Isa-" 

Sching! 

Blood. Drips slowly from her arms as wounds cascade across her body from that sword aura burst. Fiella begins to panic, her chest heaving in front of Empress Vesper. She tries not to show her panic of course but the truth is the woman in front of her is the only person on the continent of Dergenfel that she fears. 

When, the Emperor exists who else do you have to fear other than the person aside from Ducane Norcross who put that man on the throne. Vesper Desdemona was not to be taken lightly for she would use any underhanded method to achieve her goals and Fiella's existence as a servant of Isabella was such a method. 

Originally, she was but a bastard child with no remarkable qualities of worth to her sire family. That she knew of at least. Her father was an unknown, but her mother was high up within the echelon of society. And when she got 'sick' Fiella was born. Given scraps for most of her life until she ran away. 

Until she met the Empress. The only one to see something within her dark eyes as worth something. She owes Empress Vesper her life. And that life that is owed was given to Princess Isabella. The princess who was now a shining light for the shadow born woman. 

"Loyalty, I'm glad my daughter has you hooked around her fingers but don't forget your true master is me," Empress Vesper advises. 

Click-Clack! 

Click-Clack! 

The sounds of her heels on the stone floor walking in Fiella's direction can be heard. She keeps her head down in fear not once at the sound picking it up. For, a servant should only bow. 

"Lift your head and gaze upon me," 

Not even a second goes by with how quickly Fiella's head snaps upward to complete the order. To oblige her true master. Empress Vesper stares down at her imperiously stormy grey eyes looking rather unimpressed. 

Fiella can only tighten her lips as she stares at her mistress. The woman who gave her everything and has no qualms with taking it away within a second. The Empress the one who Isabella takes after in ephemeral beauty aside from her father. The two with the same honey-kissed skin and cascades of curls. 

The little bit of hereditary looks that was passed on. Empress Vesper sighs an expression of her disapproval once more. An expression that hurts Fiella for she just wants to serve. And she will give the Empress anything as long as she's not thrown away. 

Fiella couldn't take that. She didn't want that. 

"Tell me child, why Princess Isabella did what she did for Galt Ahktan," Empress Vesper inquires. 

Fiella's mouth spills secrets like a water fountain expels water. A dark unimpressed expression falls on her face as Fiella tells secrets whispered beneath the walls of a shared friendship that was based on fear. 

-- 

Calm. Collected. 

Zarracen pretends to be as her hand exudes a warmth on her back. The closeness of Princess Isabella's breath on her neck causes her hair to stick up. She needs to focus not on this but on that hand. 

The hand that has mana flowing out of into her body. She swallows roughly as it grapples with her own mana. The process was not an unfamiliar one for Zarracen the sharing of Videle to unlock points. It's how she initially was able to unlock her martial point to start her journey to being a martial master. 

And now, it was being done again. 

This time with her mind's eye. 

"Take hold of it," Isabella whispers. 

Not speaking too loudly to disturb her concentration. Yet, her very presence was in and of itself a distraction for even the most focused of individuals. She tries though. Tries to focus on the dark videle coursing through her like ice in her veins. 

It's difficult to focus but she does it. Slowly her own Videle follows it through. Warming her up. Heat from the white gold energy swarming her mind's eye. Isabella's energy reaches it first. And then hers fills it. 

It opens. 

Steam rises without her as her body heats up. The hand on her back pumps out more videle as a torrent of energy rushes through her body from the forced awakening. She grimaces in pain ignoring the feeling to focus on concentrating on not dying from the torrent. 

This was much different from unlocking a martial median within her body and creating the aura points. It felt like her very body would collapse on itself. Her body jolts eyes wide and glowing. A crescent shape pupil forming in her eyes unbeknownst to her. 

The energy slowly ebbs away as Isabella keeps her set. She shudders in pain for a few moments before calming. The surroundings of the training hall look as if a fiery beast ran rampant within. Scorch marks surround them on the ground. 

Cracks as if a great beast stepped where they sat splinter off towards the walls. A few weapons that were nearby look as if they were melted. 

Upon seeing this, Zarracen turns her body to the princess praying to Tximuria that she is uninjured. She looks unbothered. It didn't even look as if she expelled Videle to stop this rampage. 

"It's awake now fully," it wasn't a question but more a statement of achievement. 

"That process should've taken weeks," Zarracen states in shock. 

Even with outside assistance. A proper awakening of the mind's eye to a new practitioner of magic would take weeks to months to unlock depending on the strength of the master and the student's ability to herd their strength. 

Mere hours unheard of. Zarracen cannot help to wonder just how strong the princess was to not only be able to expend so much mana but to also contain the outbreak of man to affect herself but just the room. 

"You're good at Videle direction which is curious given that Martial Masters unlike Sword Masters do not utilize a free flow of Videle within and without but stack Videle to create power orbs inside their bodies." 

"I'm good at Videle use." Zarracen shrugs. She always has been. 

But due to starting off as a Martial Master she grew stagnant in magic due to the contesting nature. In theory as sorcerors stacked Videle like a Martial Masters they should've been easy to do both. But, it's a difference in a flow of energy to make up for not to mention the stacking process can very easily if you're not careful make it into you stacking Videle like aura instead of turning it into mana. 

"Yes, you are." 

Isabella agrees with ease. Times like this she sounds too familiar with Zarracen which makes the knight uncomfortable to say the least. The familiarity should be miniscule as they hardly see each other outside of ceremonies here and there. 

Their paths may cross plenty of times, but they hardly ever met truly. 

And yet sometimes when her eyes were on her Zarracen could feel a familiarity in the gaze. She didn't like it. The unknown of it all. It's not to be expected at all. She barely had what one would call friends growing up. Save maybe three people. One who disappeared. 

The second who is currently in charge of her old gang. And the last. The last died a miserable death alone after betraying what they had. With Zarracen being the death dealer. 

Isabella reminds Zarracen of none of them. As she shouldn't. They would've never connected before she gained power. Yet, the magic is like the amulet she keeps beneath her always. 

Why is the energy so familiar when the woman before her looks nothing like the her? 

"Tell me why you feel familiar?" Instead of questioning herself Zarracen asks directly. 

She'd always been to the point really. Her actions recently was more an evolution of who she is. At her core she's always been direct. Sly but direct. 

The directness of her question seems to catch Isabella off guard. Isabella face then melts into a soft smile. Humor seems to envelope her person. Her eyes searching and she does not find whatever she looks for because the expression closes off soon enough. 

"Perhaps, I'll tell you one day." 

"That means we've met before close enough to get to know your videle." 

"Hmm," she hums but doesn't confirm or deny anything. As if the secret is a game to her. 

Perhaps, it is. 

"So, you won't tell?" 

"No. Figure it out on your own. Search your memories and perhaps the answer will come to you." 

Zarracen blinks then and there. She hates not getting an answer, but she couldn't force the princess to tell her anything. Especially, if she wants to keep the answer so close to her chest. But, she's able to discern that she knew her in girlhood. 

"You're the imperial who was kidnapped and escaped into the slums aren't you?" Zarracen questions. 

"Escaped?" Isabella chuckles. "Yes, you could say I escaped the slums." 

"Milady," Fiella appears kneeling. 

Injured. But, her wounds seem unbothered. Did they have an intruder? Isabella didn't even glance her way which is a surprise. Normally, the woman would attend to whatever he closest confidant says. And then there was a torrent of energy surrounding Fiella. 

An energy not completely unlike Isabella's. Zarracen glances at Isabella who was looking displeased and annoyed. Isabella turns to Zarracen. 

"Leave us, go attend to your soldiers whom you've been ignoring." 

"They're fine." 

"That isn't a request." 

The easy aura vanishes bringing forth one of coldness. So, cold Zarracen wouldn't be surprised if ice flakes showers her from above. Fiella has been hurt on whatever mission Isabella sent her own. It's clearly important and as the guard she should know what's going on. 

But, Isabella did not trust her. This is clear from her getting rid of her and not answering a question that seems to be within Zarracen's own memory. 

So, the knight unhappily concedes here. 

As she walks out Isabella calls out, "same time tomorrow!" 

Zarracen turns with a bow before leaving and closing the door to the training hall. A magic barrier goes up but not before a shriek of pain can be heard in concordance with a shout of anger. 

Failure is punished severely hear from that. And it has the hairs on the back of Zarracen's neck dancing with worry. 

Zarracen doesn't stick around in the area long enough to be the next person to piss Isabella off. Instead, she does as ordered and finds her members. She represses herself as she comes upon her squad. 

She watches them in the courtyard. They've been training of course. Zarracen hasn't really interacted with any of the new members since she was arrested in front of them. Not out of shame. She just didn't have time. 

The past few days have been hectic to say the least. Running, around with her head cut off to gain proper uniforms for her group seems to come ahead. Supplying, weaponry was also something she had to do so she ordered from Barn Fabron again depleting the money set aside for the guard. Most of them have their own gear but having extra is always necessary. 

Not only that Isabella has been moving about more. Going out on more outings increasing her sightings outside of her mansion. Zarracen taken with her on most of them. Mostly, to stand at ease in corner as she whispers with a few women here and there. 

Or as she spoke with male counterparts. 

It seems it was a bad idea though to not be around more. It seems Sir Reynard has taken up command of their little group while she's been gone. Sir Caleb from what she can see is following his direction well. The four of them appear to be working on some formation of sorts that didn't include her. 

She feels hurt that they didn't invite her to play. 

"Practicing?" Zarracen questions. All of them stiffen and salute her. 

"Yes, Galt! We haven't gotten any post orders so we don't really have much to do aside from training." Sir Reynard states voice loud and clear. Zarracen tilts her head wondering if that was a snide remark. 

"That's true. We leave when Princess Isabella leaves and most night duties belongs to us." Zarracen informs them. 

"Not to be rude but when the Princess left yesterday you didn't take us," Galt Morrow points out. 

She wasn't rude usually when someone says that they don't point out the obvious but are blatantly rude. It causes Zarracen to pause. The tone was pretty calm as well without any sort of haughtiness one would expect from her. 

"You're new I wanted you all to get into the swing of things."

"We are happy to have had the break but we really are wanting to get into our jobs" Reynard remarks.

Zarracen hums thoughtfully.

"Until further, notice attention duties with Xan Blakely's team."

Galt Veras who was quiet prior makes a disgruntled noise when she hears this command.

"Problem?" Zarracen questions her.

The woman looks as if she is about to remark something rude but it seems Galt Morrow wasn't going to let her make the mistake. She talks over her instead.

"They're mostly do the rounds around the grounds."

Zarracen nods.

"Right then we'll go find them," Sir Reynard states.

The four walk off and Zarracen focuses on their voices. Smirking at the snide remarks being shot her way from a few while Caleb tries to get them to top. Good kid that one but his lack of experience and youth worked against him in this matter.

But maybe they should listen to someone who clearly knew not mouth off in their superiors presence. Zarracen bends down picks up three pebbles off the ground.

Within a moment they are flicked in their direction.

A whistling sound like that of a birds shriek ripples through the air. The three knights she had aimed at barely react in time to dodge the attack.

The three of them turn to her and she points to her mouth and then her ears.

"Insubordination."

The word carries across the yard. Caleb looks between the four of them as Zarracen faces their glares with a grin feeling rather pleased with herself.

It seems she's going to be busy watching their interactions. She might have to push back her training sessions to make sure there is dissent between the new and old.